Henry Gee, Senior editor for what many have called the most important magazine in science today - Nature - has written a spellbinding, fun, and accessible book explaining the scientific basis for how all that wizardy, sorcery, and magic really works in JRR Tolkien's fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings and his other fictional books featuring Middle-earth. The author explores just how elves might be able to see much further than humans, why Frodo's sword turns blue at the sight of evil orcs, how the rings of power do their thing, and just about every other conundrum or piece of 'elvish magic' that have puzzled and delighted Tolkien fans for years. Throughout, Gee makes the point that science, fantasy , and nature are really more similar than one might think. Gee writes in a popular tone and style, fully explaining all science concepts and convincingly demonstrating how Tolkien's world of fantasy makes sense in a very real - scientific - way.

From inside the book

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A series of interconnected essays giving possible real-world scientific explanations for some of the phenomena in Middle Earth. Also an exploration of how the science of Tolkien's own time might have ...Read full review

About the author (2004)

Henry Gee is a senior editor at "Nature" and the author of such books as "Jacob's Ladder", "In Search of Deep Time", "The Science of Middle-earth", and "A Field Guide to Dinosaurs", the last with Luis V. Rey. He lives in Cromer, Norfolk, England, with his family and numerous pets.